The nest is placed upon the ground or upon the trash which covers it, and 

 is usually so surrounded by descending stems as to be well hidden and quite 

 secure. It is made out of rather coarse material, principally grapevine bark and 

 dead leaves — bulky and deep, with ragged or indefinite edges, and often boasting 

 nothing better than finely shredded bark for lining. The female is a close sitter 

 and may not infrequently be taken by the hand. 



In June, 1902, I found a typical Chat's nest placed four feet high in black- 

 berry vines, but which contained three tiny eggs of uniform size, quite like those 

 of the Blue-winged Yellow Warbler. In response to my "screep" of inquiry a 

 Blue-wing promptly appeared, not once only, but twice, and scolded me roundly ; 

 while a Chat joined in at twice the distance. I was thoroughly puzzled, baffled; 

 it was impossible to tell from the appearances which bird owned the eggs. More- 

 over my time was short. "When in doubt, take the nest." The set is now in 

 the Oberlin College collection, but we shall never know whether to label it "Chat" 

 or "Blue-wing." 



A Few of the Bird Family 



By James Whitcomb Riley 



The Old Bob White, and chipbird ; 



The flicker and chee-wink, 

 And little hopty-skip bird 



Along the river brink. 



The blackbird and snowbird. 



The chicken-hawk and crane ; 



The glossy old black crow-bird. 

 And buzzard down the lane. 



The yellowbird and redbird, 



The Tom-tit and the cat : 

 The thrush and that redhead bird 



The rest's all pickin' at ! 



The jay-bird and the bluebird. 

 The sap-suck and the wren — 



The cockadoodle-doo bird, 

 And our old settin' hen ! 



